News

Dogs help students de-stress during finals

May 03, 2012

Newburgh, NY -

Taking a break from studying, Mount Saint Mary College students
(left to right) Darren Kondas, a biology/physical therapy major
from Pleasant Valley, NY; Kristen Mitchell, biology, Monroe, NY;
Jacqueline Reeves, information technology, Buffalo, NY; and
Stephanie Meissner, media studies/production, East Northport, NY,
spend a few moments relaxing with Luna, a six year old Doberman.
Luna and her owner Dolores Schaub (far left) of West Haverstraw,
NY, are part of the Hudson Valley Visiting Pets program. Research
has proven that watching, petting or talking to an animal can lower
blood pressure and heart rate, reduce mental distress, and for
college students, studies show that petting a friendly dog lowered
anxiety levels.

She’s going to the dogs

Future veterinarian Gigianna Santiago (right) of Newburgh, NY
has fun relaxing with dogs from the Hudson Valley Visiting Pets
program. The canines and their owners visited Mount Saint Mary
College recently to help students unwind during the end of semester
final exam time. Santiago ’12, an honors student at the Mount who
majored in biology, will study veterinary medicine in the fall. She
presented her research on “Modification of a Plant Microbial Fuel
Cell Using Activated Carbon Granules to Improve Electron Transfer”
at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference in Wayne, NJ last
month.